A clinical case report reveals effective surgical extraction strategies for ectopic teeth in adults, suggesting tailored approaches may improve outcomes.
Ectopic eruption of a tooth into the nasal cavity is a rare odontogenic anomaly with unclear etiopathogenesis, potentially involving developmental, genetic, or environmental factors. We report the case of a 27-year-old woman presenting with unilateral nasal discomfort and foul-smelling discharge, caused by a supernumerary tooth in the left nasal cavity. Computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis and provided detailed information on tooth orientation, bony anchorage, and relationships with adjacent structures. Surgical extraction was performed via a transoral vestibular approach, chosen due to the inferior position of the tooth and its proximity to the posterosuperior hard palate. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, with complete resolution of symptoms and satisfactory healing. This case highlights the critical role of computed tomography in preoperative planning and demonstrates that, while endoscopic transnasal extraction is minimally invasive and commonly used, it may be limited or contraindicated for teeth that are inferiorly positioned, partially anchored, or adjacent to delicate structures, where the risk of mucosal injury or incomplete removal is higher. In such cases, the transoral vestibular approach provides a safe and effective alternative, allowing en bloc extraction with controlled mucosal protection and individualized surgical strategy. By combining detailed radiologic assessment with tailored surgical planning, this report provides valuable guidance for the management of rare intranasal supernumerary teeth.
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Jihad et al. (2026) studied this question.
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